Program Overview

Students pursuing a master of law degree online through Drexel University’s Master of Policy and Law program develop the essential skills to lead where legal insight and public policy intersect. The curriculum trains them to critically assess legal and policy frameworks, pinpoint areas for reform, and offer data-driven solutions.

With a strong focus on regulatory analysis, students learn to craft strategies that align organizational goals with legal obligations. Interdisciplinary coursework spanning law, political science, and economics allows graduates to understand the real-world impact of policy decisions. By honing leadership and communication skills, they’re empowered to advocate for change across various audiences and professional settings.

Program Benefits and Unique Features

Drexel University's Master of Policy and Law offers a unique interdisciplinary curriculum that bridges the gap between legal theory and public policy analysis. By combining coursework in law, economics, and the social sciences, students gain a comprehensive understanding of the systems that shape policy and governance.

This approach fosters critical thinking and equips graduates with the tools to address complex societal challenges. Students benefit from access to expert faculty from both the Thomas R. Kline School of Law and the College of Arts and Sciences, enriching their education through alternate perspectives and academic mentorship.

Designed with flexibility in mind, the program's online format accommodates working professionals balancing career responsibilities and personal commitments. Learners can participate from anywhere in the country, making it ideal for those seeking to advance their education without relocating or pausing their careers. The asynchronous course delivery supports autonomy in pacing, contributing to a truly accessible graduate experience.

What sets Drexel’s program apart is its emphasis on bridging disciplines through action-oriented research. Unlike traditional policy or legal degrees, students explore socially grounded issues and present practice-based reforms tailored to real-world institutions and issues. The program avoids the financial and credential barriers of JD/MPP or LL.M. tracks, opening doors for a wide range of learners while preserving academic rigor. Graduates emerge with a tangible, competitive advantage in the job market, and the foundation to lead with purpose.

Key Features

• Interdisciplinary: The curriculum combines core legal education with robust coursework in public policy, economics, and social sciences, empowering students to understand how law and social policy shape our world.
• Flexible: Part-time online modality provides flexibility for working professionals with diverse career paths and familial and community obligations.
• Student-Centered: Each student will complete a capstone case study, allowing them to build a portfolio of applied research in a field they are passionate about.

While many graduate programs offer coursework in public policy or legal studies, our students will have the unique opportunity to develop and defend original, socially grounded, and practice-oriented research that bridges both disciplines.

Our program gives students the freedom to choose a policy area that matters to them, conduct in-depth research using case study methodology, and present their findings before a panel of expert faculty. Through this process, our students will graduate with a portfolio-ready piece of work that demonstrates their ability to evaluate institutions, critique legal and policy frameworks, and propose actionable reforms.

Additionally, our program is an accessible alternative to more traditional graduate pathways like the JD/MPP or post-JD LL.M. programs that focus on public policy. Where those programs often require significant time, financial investment, or a prior professional degree, our program is designed to democratize access to advanced education in the law and policy, inviting participation from a broader and more diverse community of students.

Ideal Candidates for the Program

Any student who is seeking to make an impactful change at the intersection of law and policy without having to complete a JD program. Largely, this will include people who are working in or seeking positions in government, nonprofits, quasi-governmental organizations, or the change-oriented private sector.